Go Cycling, Get Free Beer

In Bologna, Italy, people who give up their personal travel services and instead use public transport are being rewarded with free beer.

The scheme called “Bella Mossa”, meaning “Good Job” , is an initiative by Marco Amadori an urban planner. In 2017, Amadori launched an app “Better Points”. Once downloaded, you can log in your green travel. This would include walking, cycling or even taking public transport. You are rewarded points for your travel. Even a short trip of 1 kilometer is rewarded.

These points can be exchanged for free beer or discounted food and cinema tickets. More than a 100 businesses in the city have partnered with the scheme. Users can swap their points or get discounts in these establishments.

People can also compete with each other to win special prizes or discounts.

The app has a gps tracker making sure people do not cheat and also makes sure the users are using the mode of travel the say they are.

In one year, the initiative has recorded almost 4 million kilometers traveled in Bologna alone. This also means corresponding CO2 emission has been contained. Funded by the city of Bologna and the EU, “Bella Mossa” is expected to be started in other cities soon.